Sorry, I’m not sure what you’re suggesting. 
“2.0” has been released for the Vivaldi, and Rossini years ago, and at the end of this month on Bartok. Lina does not currently have choice of Mapper, that suggest that the best Mapper (Mapper 1) is already on Lina, or that we might see a future 2.0 release where Lina would support the Mapper choice.
I never suggested that Lina “could not run 2.0”, nor suggested not doing any detailed audition! I’m not sure where you got that impression from.
The direct sales model is simply more with the times and yes I think in headfi it’s more common. There’s very little headfi gear to demo or purchase locally.
But I do have a strong local dCS dealer and I would expect to be able to demo the Lina system there before purchasing. I can’t imagine putting $30k on my credit card online either.
I’m not suggesting anything at all, I simply meant that 2.0 is not yet released for the Bartok DAC to which the Lina DAC can be most directly compared. When the Bartok is upgraded at the end of the month, it would seem odd if the Lina isn’t. My other comments are meant in general terms, not relating to anything said. Sorry if that was unclear.
dCS have a new policy of catering only to the head-fi channels with their head-fi products, i.e. the Bartók HDAC, and now the Lina series.
My trusted two-channel dealer told me they are able to order those head-fi products, and deliver to me, but they won’t hold stock, also no demo stock.
Note that as with APEX, the name LINA is in CAPS (at least on its lighted facia, less so in the documentation). And probably even less meaningful than the aforementioned DAC update name. Bizarre.
Just by reading this stream of comments, in this forum, it makes one wonder about the marketing/channels “evolution” taking place at dCS. A bit disjoint/confused. On the other hand, I’d be surprised if Steven and company didn’t take a long and hard look at the marketplace before sticking more than their toe (prior Bartok model bifurcated channel split) in new waters.
Not being a headphone user, I wonder how a long term head-fi user will assess LINA. On a scale of a no-brainer to huh purchase, that is.
The 2.0 Mappers are currently available in Rossini DAC, Rossini Player, Vivaldi One and Vivaldi DAC as well as the APEX models of these products. On May 31st 2022 we will release a software update for Bartók DAC and Bartók Headphone DAC to enable the 2.0 Mappers in these products too.
Lina DAC is a different hardware architecture than two channel dCS products. This is in part because of the chassis size and the single flex board design. The Lina DAC will run the standard (classic) Mapper, which is the same as Mapper 2 on Bartók, Rossini and Vivaldi ranges. Currently the APEX Ring DAC is available in Vivaldi and Rossini only.
In our latest video exploring Lina, we hear from the engineers, designers, and managing director David Steven, who together explore the creative journey and design objectives for Lina. It’s a candid look at the challenges and triumphs we experienced along the way to creating the most technically advanced head-fi products available today.
With the talk about how you sell your headfi gear through a different channel method because the headfi space “works dirrerently”, I think you should also reconsider these marketing videos. Headfi is not sold on “feelgood/appeal to emotion” that doesn’t say anything concrete messaging. Headfi is much more about “tell me how it works in depth, what the detailed specs are”, etc. Sorry to say, but this video was not helpful at all.
(FWIW, I’m a Bartok HDAC owner, though I have largely moved away from the internal headphone amp to having it feed a RAAL HSA-1b/SR1a setup since I originally purchased it.)
Steve, I suspect that may be dependent on where the committed user already is in the ceaseless “end game” pursuit that seems even more rabid in headfi than the speaker segment. I am definitely a long-term headfi customer. I am intrigued by LINA, and I applaud the dCS commitment to the headfi segment. But I am probably not in the market for it. I might be interested in demoing the amp to see how it compares with what I already have, primarily out of curiosity. I think that those customers for whom the LINA price point is a step up from where they are now are the likely target. Those already more heavily invested, and those for whom electrostats are a compelling listening proposition (I fall into both camps), may not find it as compelling.
I think that’s an oversimplification. Sure, I care about performance, and the ability of an amp to drive a transducer, but I also care about the manufacturer’s commitment to a segment (headfi in this case) and fostering an emotional relationship with the equipment and the music. Seems to me the video did just that. If this didn’t speak to you, so be it. But I doubt it will be the last dCS marketing word on LINA.
@Phil Referring to the pics of the internals of the components of the Lina series above :
I do not see any transformer. They must be there, of course. Are they mounted on an additional board? Pics?
The transformers are mounted to the bottom plates of the units. No need for additional boards, as all the circuitry is on the single flex board, as in the above pictures. Just the flying lead from mains inlet to transformer, and transformer to board. 
Thanks James, that looks very good. Well shielded transformers, and good heat dissipation!
Lina user manuals are now online on our site here.
Reason for the delay is that we will have online HTML versions of the Lina user manuals shortly, but these aren’t quite ready yet, so have uploaded the PDFs for now.
We have the PDFs available in English, Chinese, Korean and Japanese.
@James Is it correct that dCS use the Alps RK271 as potentiometer in the Lina headamp for attenuation?
Apart from the potentiometer, can you shine a light on how the volume control is working on the Lina headamp?
Am I the only one miffed by the LINA introduction? My complaint has to do with the Expanse technology, which I have not heard but of which I have read only rave reviews. My understanding is that this technology is housed within the LINA DAC and not the headphone amp. As a loyal dCS owner how does this benefit me (Rossini plus clock with an order in for the weeks/months backordered Vivaldi APEX)? The dCS HA may indeed turn out to be phenomenal but I already have two phenomenal amps with which I am quite pleased. To experience Expanse am I to purchase the LINA DAC and use IT over the Vivaldi??? My questions are:
1–Is Expanse an actual circuit board (hardware) that must be housed in the LINA DAC?
2–Is Expanse just software that can be downloaded into our DACs?
If the answer is 2 then great. If the answer is 1 then I am of the opinion that dCS has done its loyal fan base very wrong by not making this technology readily available.
Expanse is firmware running on the FPGA(s) on the Ring DAC board inside certain dCS DACs (Bartók HDAC and Lina DAC, so far).
It would be great if dCS would (want to) find a way to make it available to us Rossini and Vivaldi suckers 
Totally agree with Ermos.
Expanse really should be added to the Vivaldi and Rossini firmware.
Please dCS!
If, then we will get Vivaldi and Rossini Apex-panse 
Maybe @diken1957 wants to start a new topic about this? So that we do not go off-topic (Lina) here.
[edit] : Here is the new topic, thanks @Goodstuff
Im a fan of expanding Expanse (sorry!), but I’m having a very difficult time understanding this negative reaction. How is it that Expanse on a separate circuit board would do the dCS customer base “wrong”? By this logic, no manufacturer could ever develop new technology that requires a new hardware architecture without “wronging” its customer base. Daft.
